Download PDF
Facial Plast Surg 2014; 30(01): 049-054
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1364222
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Nonablative Fractional Resurfacing

Joely Kaufman
1   Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
,
Sophie Liao
2   Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 January 2014 (online)

    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Since its introduction in 2004 by Manstein et al, fractional resurfacing has revolutionized the manner in which we treat photoaging. Fractional resurfacing delivers microscopic beams of light to the skin resulting in coagulation or vaporization of fragments of the epidermis and dermis. The wavelengths of these devices may vary, yielding different clinical results. This article will discuss the various uses of fractional ablative and nonablative devices available today.

Keywords

laser - fractional - nonablative - photoaging
 

  • References

  • 1 Hruza GJ, Dover JS. Laser skin resurfacing. Arch Dermatol 1996; 132 (4) 451-455
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Dover JS, Hruza GJ. Laser skin resurfacing. Semin Cutan Med Surg 1996; 15 (3) 177-188
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Waldorf HA, Kauvar AN, Geronemus RG. Skin resurfacing of fine to deep rhytides using a char-free carbon dioxide laser in 47 patients. Dermatol Surg 1995; 21 (11) 940-946
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Manstein D, Herron GS, Sink RK, Tanner H, Anderson RR. Fractional photothermolysis: a new concept for cutaneous remodeling using microscopic patterns of thermal injury. Lasers Surg Med 2004; 34 (5) 426-438
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Hantash BM, Mahmood MB. Fractional photothermolysis: a novel aesthetic laser surgery modality. Dermatol Surg 2007; 33 (5) 525-534
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Stumpp OF, Bedi VP, Wyatt D, Lac D, Rahman Z, Chan KF. In vivo confocal imaging of epidermal cell migration and dermal changes post nonablative fractional resurfacing: study of the wound healing process with corroborated histopathologic evidence. J Biomed Opt 2009; 14 (2) 024018
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Kono T, Chan HH, Groff WF , et al. Prospective direct comparison study of fractional resurfacing using different fluences and densities for skin rejuvenation in Asians. Lasers Surg Med 2007; 39 (4) 311-314
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Bedi VP, Chan KF, Sink RK , et al. The effects of pulse energy variations on the dimensions of microscopic thermal treatment zones in nonablative fractional resurfacing. Lasers Surg Med 2007; 39 (2) 145-155
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Khan MH, Sink RK, Manstein D, Eimerl D, Anderson RR. Intradermally focused infrared laser pulses: thermal effects at defined tissue depths. Lasers Surg Med 2005; 36 (4) 270-280
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Laubach HJ, Tannous Z, Anderson RR, Manstein D. Skin responses to fractional photothermolysis. Lasers Surg Med 2006; 38 (2) 142-149
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Tannous Z. Fractional resurfacing. Clin Dermatol 2007; 25 (5) 480-486
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Geronemus RG. Fractional photothermolysis: current and future applications. Lasers Surg Med 2006; 38 (3) 169-176
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Wanner M, Tanzi EL, Alster TS. Fractional photothermolysis: treatment of facial and nonfacial cutaneous photodamage with a 1,550-nm erbium-doped fiber laser. Dermatol Surg 2007; 33 (1) 23-28
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Tierney EP, Hanke CW. Review of the literature: treatment of dyspigmentation with fractionated resurfacing. Dermatol Surg 2010; 36 (10) 1499-1508
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Cohen SR, Henssler C, Johnston J. Fractional photothermolysis for skin rejuvenation. Plast Reconstr Surg 2009; 124 (1) 281-290
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Tierney EP, Kouba DJ, Hanke CW. Review of fractional photothermolysis: treatment indications and efficacy. Dermatol Surg 2009; 35 (10) 1445-1461
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Jih MH, Goldberg LH, Kimyai-Asadi A. Fractional photothermolysis for photoaging of hands. Dermatol Surg 2008; 34 (1) 73-78
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Lapidoth M, Adatto M, Halachmi S. Treatment of actinic keratoses and photodamage with non-contact fractional 1540-nm laser quasi-ablation: an ex vivo and clinical evaluation. Lasers Med Sci 2013; 28 (2) 537-542
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Rahman Z, Alam M, Dover JS. Fractional laser treatment for pigmentation and texture improvement. Skin Therapy Lett 2006; 11 (9) 7-11
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Alster TS, Tanzi EL, Lazarus M. The use of fractional laser photothermolysis for the treatment of atrophic scars. Dermatol Surg 2007; 33 (3) 295-299
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Glaich AS, Goldberg LH, Friedman RH, Friedman PM. Fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of postinflammatory erythema resulting from acne vulgaris. Dermatol Surg 2007; 33 (7) 842-846
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Chan NPY, Ho SGY, Yeung CK, Shek SYN, Chan HH. The use of non-ablative fractional resurfacing in Asian acne scar patients. Lasers Surg Med 2010; 42 (10) 710-715
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Chan HH. Effective and safe use of lasers, light sources, and radiofrequency devices in the clinical management of Asian patients with selected dermatoses. Lasers Surg Med 2005; 37 (3) 179-185
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Lee HS, Lee JH, Ahn GY , et al. Fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of acne scars: a report of 27 Korean patients. J Dermatolog Treat 2008; 19 (1) 45-49
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Lin JY, Warger WC, Izikson L, Anderson RR, Tannous Z. A prospective, randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of fractional photothermolysis on scar remodeling. Lasers Surg Med 2011; 43 (4) 265-272
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Cohen SR, Henssler C, Horton K, Broder KW, Moise-Broder PA. Clinical experience with the Fraxel SR laser: 202 treatments in 59 consecutive patients. Plast Reconstr Surg 2008; 121 (5) 297e-304e
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Behroozan DS, Goldberg LH, Dai T, Geronemus RG, Friedman PM. Fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of surgical scars: a case report. J Cosmet Laser Ther 2006; 8 (1) 35-38
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Glaich AS, Rahman Z, Goldberg LH, Friedman PM. Fractional resurfacing for the treatment of hypopigmented scars: a pilot study. Dermatol Surg 2007; 33 (3) 289-294 , discussion 293–294
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Haedersdal M, Moreau KER, Beyer DM, Nymann P, Alsbjørn B. Fractional nonablative 1540.  nm laser resurfacing for thermal burn scars: a randomized controlled trial. Lasers Surg Med 2009; 41 (3) 189-195
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Stotland M, Chapas AM, Brightman L , et al. The safety and efficacy of fractional photothermolysis for the correction of striae distensae. J Drugs Dermatol 2008; 7 (9) 857-861
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Kim BJ, Lee DH, Kim MN , et al. Fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of striae distensae in Asian skin. Am J Clin Dermatol 2008; 9 (1) 33-37
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 Sukal SA, Chapas AM, Bernstein LJ, Hale EK, Kim KH, Geronemus RG. Eyelid tightening and improved eyelid aperture through nonablative fractional resurfacing. Dermatol Surg 2008; 34 (11) 1454-1458
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Wattanakrai P, Pootongkam S, Rojhirunsakool S. Periorbital rejuvenation with fractional 1,550-nm ytterbium/erbium fiber laser and variable square pulse 2,940-nm erbium:YAG laser in Asians: a comparison study. Dermatol Surg 2012; 38 (4) 610-622
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Tannous ZS, Astner S. Utilizing fractional resurfacing in the treatment of therapy-resistant melasma. J Cosmet Laser Ther 2005; 7 (1) 39-43
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Katz TM, Glaich AS, Goldberg LH, Firoz BF, Dai T, Friedman PM. Treatment of melasma using fractional photothermolysis: a report of eight cases with long-term follow-up. Dermatol Surg 2010; 36 (8) 1273-1280
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Kouba DJ, Fincher EF, Moy RL. Nevus of Ota successfully treated by fractional photothermolysis using a fractionated 1440-nm Nd:YAG laser. Arch Dermatol 2008; 144 (2) 156-158
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Behroozan DS, Goldberg LH, Glaich AS, Dai T, Friedman PM. Fractional photothermolysis for treatment of poikiloderma of civatte. Dermatol Surg 2006; 32 (2) 298-301
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Izikson L, Anderson RR. Resolution of blue minocycline pigmentation of the face after fractional photothermolysis. Lasers Surg Med 2008; 40 (6) 399-401
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Karsai S, Hammes S, Rütten A, Raulin C. Fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of granuloma annulare: a case report. Lasers Surg Med 2008; 40 (5) 319-322
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 40 Blankenship CM, Alster TS. Fractional photothermolysis of residual hemangioma. Dermatol Surg 2008; 34 (8) 1112-1114
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 Glaich AS, Goldberg LH, Dai T, Friedman PM. Fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of telangiectatic matting: a case report. J Cosmet Laser Ther 2007; 9 (2) 101-103
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 42 Marra DE, Pourrabbani S, Fincher EF, Moy RL. Fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of adult colloid milium. Arch Dermatol 2007; 143 (5) 572-574
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Fisher GH, Geronemus RG. Short-term side effects of fractional photothermolysis. Dermatol Surg 2005; 31 (9 Pt 2) 1245-1249 , discussion 1249
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Graber EM, Tanzi EL, Alster TS. Side effects and complications of fractional laser photothermolysis: experience with 961 treatments. Dermatol Surg 2008; 34 (3) 301-305 , discussion 305–307
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar